mastering question

Thanks everyone.
So you adjust the volume of each song individually by using gain knobs? And then after that the limiter is on each track or is it on your master bus?
Do you guys take things like crest factor into consideration and try to make it the same on each mix before going to the master stage? I'm wondering if my mixed versions (-20db rms/-6 peak) have too large a crest ratio.

I use the clip gain to adjust the individual volume and the limiter is on the meter bus.
 
Do you guys take things like crest factor into consideration and try to make it the same on each mix before going to the master stage? I'm wondering if my mixed versions (-20db rms/-6 peak) have too large a crest ratio.

Don't get hung up on the numbers. If you're having trouble getting your mixes to sound as loud as you feel they need to be consider going back to the mix project and addressing things there. This is one of the advantages of mastering your own mixes. But there are disadvantages: using the same monitoring setup for mixing and mastering can compound problems. I mix in two studios (talking with a third) but I prefer to master at home.
 
Like BSG said, don't worry about the numbers. Listen to it. Rms metering and apparent volume don't necessarily correlate. Just jump around the songs to listen for volume changes. The ones that seem quiet, turn up. The ones that seem loud, turn down. No one will see the meter when they listen to the song, they will hear the volume.

Once all the songs seem to be about the same volume, then use the limiter on the master bus to bring the level of the entire project up to where you want it, or to just shy of where the mixes fall apart.
 
Once all the songs seem to be about the same volume, then use the limiter on the master bus to bring the level of the entire project up to where you want it, or to just shy of where the mixes fall apart.

Thanks, Farview. But if the limiter is on the master bus rather than each track, won't it effect each track differently when it's engaged?
 
The view of the limiter comes from Broadcast. Say if your mix went over 0db, it could fry your gear, or, the FCC would fine you $10000 for exceeding your license. You are free to do what ever you want with your tools, though
 
Yes and no. If your songs are all about the same volume, putting the limiter on the master will keep them all about the same volume as you raise the level. Once one of the mixes starts falling apart, that is as far as you can go.

If you limit the individual tracks, you can end up with some songs being louder than others, then you start chasing your tail.
 
If you limit the individual tracks, you can end up with some songs being louder than others, then you start chasing your tail.

Just because mastering limiters are designed to add gain in the process doesn't mean that added gain is the only possible outcome. Generic limiters often just limit peaks down without adding gain, and some mastering limiters have an option to keep the gain constant. If a given track doesn't play well with the main bus limiter you can insert one on a track to address things before it hits the main bus.
 
If he wasn't trying to add gain, there would be no point to the limiter in this instance.

If one particular track isn't playing well with a main bus limiter then putting a different one on the track itself can help. That way the gain reduction is done by the track limiter while the gain comes from the main bus limiter, but without hitting the main limiter so hard. Multiple stages of dynamics control is a classic technique.
 
Yes and no. If your songs are all about the same volume, putting the limiter on the master will keep them all about the same volume as you raise the level. Once one of the mixes starts falling apart, that is as far as you can go.

If you limit the individual tracks, you can end up with some songs being louder than others, then you start chasing your tail.
If one particular track isn't playing well with a main bus limiter then putting a different one on the track itself can help. That way the gain reduction is done by the track limiter while the gain comes from the main bus limiter, but without hitting the main limiter so hard. Multiple stages of dynamics control is a classic technique.
Here's another way to look at this, the way I generally run.
Limiter on each track, this optimized for the density and vibe' for that track. Never gain added at the limiter (though that's just a working preference)
Gain trims pre-limiter (perhaps) -and/or fader trims post limiter to set the track's final level.
I.e. occasionally.. I want some slightly aggressive limiting, but then adjust post limiter to fit the track in it's place in 'RMS 'loudness.
 

I actually might have that plugin...the executable to install it.
When Roger was still alive and doing his plugs...there was some point in time where I was able to download them...?...can't really remember the deal....but I seem to remember that I have a folder with his plugs. It might be the "light" versions that he gave away for free, and that's what I have...?

TBH, I don't use them....just kinda forgot about them.
I'll check later tonight.
 
Presonus Sudio One Pro v3 has what they call the Project Page. You can master all your songs in one view with the option to jump back to your mix if needed. I also use Izotope's Ozone7 advanced which is a stand alone that has codec preview for mp3 and aac conversions.
 
Most things have been covered. What I do differently to many is separating the quality (tone, dynamics, and intensity) and quantity (loudness) into two stages with a 96/32 WAV capture in between.

Quality: Import the tracks in parallel so I can switch easily between the songs and also the reference tracks using Solo. My reference tracks are all nominally K-20 but I'm going to cut a LUFS set. I say nominally because metering isn't as accurate as the ear for setting appropriate loudness so it's only the high intensity songs that would actually read as K-20 on a meter. So, first I set the relative loudness of the candidates on my cube speaker (keeps the focus on the consistency of the mids regardless of the brightness or bassiness of the mixes). Then I work on the EQ, dynamics, and intensity. For each plugin I ALWAYS adjust the makeup gain to compensate for changes.

Quantity: This is where I put on the limiter and set the loudness for the album. It is also where I set the song sequence and gaps. I time gaps musically based on the beat of the previous song but with adjustment till the next song comes in when it feels right. Some endings you have to let hang in the air but sometimes the subsequent song needs to rush in like a breath of fresh air.

By separating the loudness step it is trivial to do versions for HD, YouTube, crushed to crap for a "competitive" CD, or whatever.
 
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